Hello All. My 5th season officiating.

I have only had to eject 1 coach in my short career. That occurred towards the end of last season. Tuesday evening I will be officiating that coach's team for the first time since the ejection.

What's the best way to handle any inappropriate pre-game comments during the coaches' conference?

My opinion...your jurisdiction starts when you get on the floor.

"Inappropriate" can mean several things. If it is just a sarcastic comment about what happened last time...I would just let him know that he has a clean slate with me that night. Now, if the "inappropriate" comment is something like "Don't tell me I have to put up with your F*&@**)( Bull#%&* again tonight?" then maybe your response should be a short blast of the whistle and an ejection.

I know I would not even bring it up...just go about my business as if it was the first time I called a game he coached. There is a chance that nothing will be said...give him the same starting position you intend to give the other coach.

Good luck...and enjoy the evening.

The same way you would handle inappropriate comments if you didn't have a history with the coach. Last season was last season. Go in with a clear head and call the game as it needs to be called. You wouldn't want the coach to bring up the game from last season, so you shouldn't do it either.

Eject him again.

Seriously, though, if the coach says nothing, say nothing.

If the coach apologizes for his behavior from the previous game, politely say thank you, but that you've put it behind you and that you start every game with a clean slate.

If the coach tries to engage you in some discussion about the ejection to argue your call, politely say thank you, but that you've put it behind you and that you start every game with a clean slate.

If the coach crosses the line despite your insistance that you've put it behind you and that you start every game with a clean slate, then you need to oblige him with the T that he has decided he needs to have.

I wouldn't expect this last case to occur.

Or you could just stare at his pants and puke on his shoes....

Sorry Mark, I stole your line.

Greet him with respect.

keep your radar on.

Thanks. I have no intentions of bringing up the past. But this a coach known for his sharp wit (read: sarcastic and condescending) and long memory, so I wanted to pre-game myself in the event any possible negative comments come my way. I can be "sharp witted" myself, definitely not something needed in this situation.

I've been in this situation before and found that the anticipation of working the game caused a lot more grief than the actual game. Sometime the coach is the one who will pull in his horns the second time around, because two ejections in one season might bring him more trouble than he needs from whomever he is accountable to.

Just read the orginal thread starter and saw that it was last season you ejected him. However,the same advice applies.

[Edited by ranjo on Feb 6th, 2006 at 05:56 PM]

The only coach I've ever had to eject was forbidden from coaching in that Y-league after that game. I did ref him as a player after that, though (in a Y-league). He was the least of my troubles in the adult league game.

How great is it to work with a partner who has your back?
 

Game went on without a hitch. Coincidence or not, I had the same partner last night as I had for the original ejection game.

When we went over for the pre-game conference (I was 'R'), as soon as my partner shook the coach's hand he engaged the coach in some hometown small town (my partner and the coach live in the same town). All that was left for me was "Good luck Coach" and he replied with a "thank you".

Only interaction the coach and I had after that was a polite halftime question concerning a call I made.

I'm glad I got this "first" out the way, especially with good results.